What's a piece of paper gonna
Do when you're dead?
Has it been worth the meds?

I stole myself a keepsake for remembrance of my father,
a bracelet made by he that lasted 3 years, no longer
I picked me out a souvenir in summertime Muskogee
but now they sit so rusted and do of nothing to me
I hang old captured memories, tacked into my right wall
but they still just stand, a memory, that's all their worth in all

I will need no souvenir to remember you
I will need no keepsake hung up with a sticky glue
I will have your hand to hold, forever and again
If I need reminder, I just gaze up past your chin

Even all the words I wrote, someday will be just that
They may still hold a meaning, but I can never bring it back
The pearls pierced through my ears handed down from generation,
even they are getting old throughout this newer nation
Stories ended with their what if's and could have's
are too far passed now, just sit for some good laughs

I will need no souvenir to remember you
I will need no keepsake hung up with a sticky glue
I will have your hand to hold, forever and again
If I need reminder, I just gaze up past your chin

Why do we need bibles and these holy books to say
something once was, and I think again one day
I only can remember that one time I landed hospitalized
because the get well notes be still on my shelf advised
I used to keep a diary when I was just young,
to write down all I saw until it wasn't all fun

I will need no souvenir to remember you
I will need no keepsake hung up with a sticky glue
I will have your hand to hold, forever and again
If I need reminder, I just gaze up past your chin

For you are my souvenir
living life with both so near
Your hand is just a reminder
of the time that we have spent, in you, the *meaning finder

That one is either rolling a cigarette between her teeth
or picking out this morning's rushed breakfast keish.
That man is either yelling lyrics to an upbeat rap melody
or scolding his young child, with his back to me.
That mom is either arguing with a voice on her earpiece
or the little girl, defeated, with her head in her knees.

I would tell that lady that her teeth look fine,
or that cigarettes ****, but she might respond with I don't mind
I would tell that man that he's good at what he does,
or he shouldn't yell at his kid, we all know that's not love
I would ask of the mother to pay more attention to her girl,
or maybe a bit less if that's what's making her hurl.

I wonder if anyone plays this game with me
when all you can do is wonder when all you can do is see.
I wonder what they think and if to them I seem okay
I don't mean to intrude, I just fasten my seatbelt and play.

I let her
open a bottle that was so clearly supposed to be closed
I let her
crawl inside and lick up what I left behind
I let her
experience the pain and the sting of a mistake I was lucky enough to postpone
I let her
find her way back out as tears brimmed her stolen eyes
I let her
risk the chance of shedding blood and ripping clothes
I let her
do the who and what I knew was wrong inside

no, no, no
don't go down that road
you know that's not where happiness is found!

no, no, no
don't try to fit her shoes
you weren't made to walk her ground!

no, no, no
don't let them tell you where to go
you weren't meant for the background!

no, no, no, no, no
don't stop kicking now
everyone else has drowned. . .

oh
don't die on me yet
only water does surround!

I don't write down things just so you can relate
I know I have a ****** up head
That's just one of the things I hate

don't you dare laugh
because she attempted to inject hot glue into her skin
don't you dare laugh
about the chemicals she swallowed to get away from you
don't you dare laugh
about the bruises left around her throat
don't you dare laugh
at the scars dug deep into her veins
you can laugh
all you want at my past, my mistakes, and my pain
but don't you dare laugh
at her
even if I don't know her name.

you're my girl, you know that?*

I know, but I still love it when you reassure me
I love it when you kiss me at school and risk teacher's scoldings
I love it when you pull me closer and rest your palms on my hip
I love it when you let me toy aimlessly with your fingers or locks of hair
I love those passionate moments that are only yours and mine to hold
I love you
and I'll love you when we're old